New rules at OBS, Horse Park in response to equine herpes

Heather Clink, left, and her sister Natalie Geller wash water and feed buckets with bleach and water behind a equine herpes-related quarantine barricade at tent No. 7 at Post Time Farm in this Feb. 22 file photo.

Doug Engle/ Ocala Star-Banner

By Carlos E. MedinaCorrespondent

Published: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 6:25 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 6:25 p.m.

No new quarantines in the equine herpes virus (EHV-1) outbreak have been ordered since Monday. Regardless, two major Marion County horse facilities have instituted new requirements for entry in the wake of the outbreak, which has been tied to the HITS show at Post Time Farm near Ocala.

Ocala Breeders' Sales announced its new requirements in advance of the company's biggest thoroughbred auction, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

While the outbreak has been contained to the show horse community, nine facilities across Marion County are currently under quarantine.

"While there is not a ton of crossover between the two worlds, we thought it (would) be best to take precautionary measures," said Tod Wojciechowski, OBS director of sales.

OBS will require proof of EHV-1 vaccination and a health certificate. Vaccinations must have been administered between 14 days and 90 days or the horse will not be allowed on the grounds.

"Everybody that we've talked to has been understanding and willing to take a few more precautions," Wojciechowski said.

Meantime, the Florida Horse Park, which holds horse show competitions, issued even stricter new rules.

For a horse to enter the park, health certificates cannot be older than 48 hours and must include a temperature chart for the horse and a detailed description of the animal. The certificate must also include a statement that the horse has not show any symptoms of EHV-1.

No commercial horse shipments are allowed, horses must be separated by an empty stable, trailers must be 30 feet from each other, and no sharing of any equipment is allowed.

The virus is spread among horses through the air via sneezing and coughing. It does not affect humans. However, humans can spread the virus from horse to horse via contaminated hands, clothing and shoes. Contaminated feed and water buckets also are culprits in the spread of the illness.

The outbreak started when a horse at the HITS facility tested positive on Feb. 20. Initially, the state only quarantined the tent where the affected horse was housed, but after other horses that were at the show started testing positive, the entire facility was quarantined Feb. 27.

Despite the quarantine on the grounds, HITS organizers have vowed to continue the competition, which runs through March 17, with the horses on site. No horses on the property when the quarantine was issued can leave the grounds. Several hundred horses are currently there.

An item on the Ocala HITS website states that as of 2014 it will require all horses entering the showgrounds to have health certificates, negative coggins test, and current vaccinations for EHV-1 and EHV-4 — as well as West Nile virus, eastern and western equine encephalomyelitis, tetanus, rabies and equine influenza.

Up until now, those items have been highly suggested. It was not clear Wednesday if the 2014 requirements were in response to the current outbreak.

The illness can be fatal, but none of the six horses that tested positive has died. Two showed neurological symptoms, which is the potentially fatal aspect of the disease, but were in stable condition at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.

<p>No new quarantines in the equine herpes virus (EHV-1) outbreak have been ordered since Monday. Regardless, two major Marion County horse facilities have instituted new requirements for entry in the wake of the outbreak, which has been tied to the HITS show at Post Time Farm near Ocala.</p><p>Ocala Breeders' Sales announced its new requirements in advance of the company's biggest thoroughbred auction, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.</p><p>While the outbreak has been contained to the show horse community, nine facilities across Marion County are currently under quarantine.</p><p>"While there is not a ton of crossover between the two worlds, we thought it (would) be best to take precautionary measures," said Tod Wojciechowski, OBS director of sales.</p><p>OBS will require proof of EHV-1 vaccination and a health certificate. Vaccinations must have been administered between 14 days and 90 days or the horse will not be allowed on the grounds.</p><p>"Everybody that we've talked to has been understanding and willing to take a few more precautions," Wojciechowski said.</p><p>Meantime, the Florida Horse Park, which holds horse show competitions, issued even stricter new rules.</p><p>For a horse to enter the park, health certificates cannot be older than 48 hours and must include a temperature chart for the horse and a detailed description of the animal. The certificate must also include a statement that the horse has not show any symptoms of EHV-1.</p><p>No commercial horse shipments are allowed, horses must be separated by an empty stable, trailers must be 30 feet from each other, and no sharing of any equipment is allowed.</p><p>The virus is spread among horses through the air via sneezing and coughing. It does not affect humans. However, humans can spread the virus from horse to horse via contaminated hands, clothing and shoes. Contaminated feed and water buckets also are culprits in the spread of the illness.</p><p>The outbreak started when a horse at the HITS facility tested positive on Feb. 20. Initially, the state only quarantined the tent where the affected horse was housed, but after other horses that were at the show started testing positive, the entire facility was quarantined Feb. 27.</p><p>Despite the quarantine on the grounds, HITS organizers have vowed to continue the competition, which runs through March 17, with the horses on site. No horses on the property when the quarantine was issued can leave the grounds. Several hundred horses are currently there.</p><p>An item on the Ocala HITS website states that as of 2014 it will require all horses entering the showgrounds to have health certificates, negative coggins test, and current vaccinations for EHV-1 and EHV-4 — as well as West Nile virus, eastern and western equine encephalomyelitis, tetanus, rabies and equine influenza.</p><p>Up until now, those items have been highly suggested. It was not clear Wednesday if the 2014 requirements were in response to the current outbreak.</p><p>The illness can be fatal, but none of the six horses that tested positive has died. Two showed neurological symptoms, which is the potentially fatal aspect of the disease, but were in stable condition at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.</p><p>As of Wednesday, the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services had issued quarantines for 14 facilities in the state linked to the HITS outbreak. They include: The entire HITS showgrounds, Ocala; Up Country Farm, Ocala; Redfield Farm, Ocala; Montera Farm, Ocala; Flutterby Farm, Ocala; Kings Ridge Farm, Reddick; Calder Farm, Ocala; Hard Ford Farm, Reddick; Wisconsin-based Chestnut Hill (temporarily in Ocala for HITS); Brookmore Farm, Oviedo; Foxwood Farms, Pinellas Park; Black Forest Farm, St. Augustine; Littlewood Farm, Wellington; and Miles Away Farm, Loxahatchee.</p>